cheap tool alert

[DaryleD]

BIL is a welder. He told me that you need to use as dark as you can stand when doing any welding. NEVER go less than 10. He uses 11. That's what I've started using now. Anything less than 10 is OK for cutting torch or grinding.

No offense intended, but I think that I would read the tech article on the Lincoln electric site about auto darkening hoods and trust that a little more than even an experienced welder. I say that just due to the fact that liability comes into play with claims made by companies, and they would be liable and wouldn't say the oposite of that if they didn't trust the research that leads to these remarks. I mean no disrespect to Bil, but if you think about the R&D that goes into making product;especially when safety is concerned, than I would just have to go with that other than what we think ( including myself, before reading it and thinking about it a little )without carefull data to back it up. I hope I can post this link propperly. Commonly Asked Questions About Welding Helmets & Eye Protection | Lincoln Electric

 

[QRTRHRS]

In the past, I would not even consider Harbor Freight any more than I would Wal-Mart. Times change and the bottom line is I need to bend a bit.

Anyway, I bought that same saw for 50 bucks on special. I agree, it is slow but I made a lot of cuts with it so far and it still runs. I think they make a somewhat heavier model?

I also have the HB electric jack hammer. Excavating for my one barn took me down to the hardpan. In order to set some 8 foot fence posts 3 foot deep, it took me upwards of eight hours to do one post one day. Renting was not feasable on a casual basis and the Bosch electric hammer runs over a grand. So, I got the HB for about 350 then spent another 300 for two three foot long points.

I don't know that you could make a living with this tool but I can dig a three foot hole in around an hour now.

 

[MossRoad]

That is the same article that I posted a link to by the same author.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

No offense intended, but I think that I would read the tech article on the Lincoln electric site about auto darkening hoods and trust that a little more than even an experienced welder. I say that just due to the fact that liability comes into play with claims made by companies, and they would be liable and wouldn't say the oposite of that if they didn't trust the research that leads to these remarks. I mean no disrespect to Bil, but if you think about the R&D that goes into making product;especially when safety is concerned, than I would just have to go with that other than what we think ( including myself, before reading it and thinking about it a little )without carefull data to back it up. I hope I can post this link propperly. Commonly Asked Questions About Welding Helmets & Eye Protection | Lincoln Electric

So.... Why trust someone with thousands of hours of actually using welding hoods as opposed to the company trying to SELL them......

And he's not the first welder I've heard that from.

And would this be the first ever case of something being marketed as "totally safe", then later found to be not quite as safe as first thought?

I'm not saying there isn't any chance that a AD hood is safe. My contention is, the old style ARE safe, and I'm not convinced the AD hoods are. And popular opinion of several people who use this type of equipment on a regular basis have their doubts.

 

[Soundguy]

On an interesting side note.. I noticed that some items at HF this week were made in places other than china... ( russia, india.. etc.. )

Soundguy

 

[Dargo]

On an interesting side note.. I noticed that some items at HF this week were made in places other than china... ( russia, india.. etc.. )

Soundguy

Yes, and be sure to wear a flak jacket if you use the Russian made wheels on your chop saw. You'd think I'd catch on a bit quicker, but I actually had 3 of the Russian made chop saw wheels explode when I used them. It's beyond me as to why it took me 3 tries to decide to pitch the remainder of them and go back with a quality wheel.

Hey, you'll be happy though; I bought something at HF this weekend. I had a specific need for a larger set of bolt cutters. I bought the 36" elcheapo bolt cutters there for $20 (or so) and they cut the lock off of the gate for me. Yes, I lost the keys to my own lock on my gate.

 

[Soundguy]

So far I've had no problems with the russian blade sets. I find it odd dthat the russians could make a blade set cheaper than the chinese.... And yet.. I 'assume' it was a price based decision.. etc.

In any case.. I was carefull around the abrasive blade.. Like i would have been even if i had bought a dewalt saw and 'name brand' media.... etc... Abrasive blades just fly apart.. it happens... A blade we picked up from napa for our chop saw at work disentigrated before even coming up to full speed and a large chunk of it hit our mechanic near the groin ( right thigh)a little while back. His welding chaps prevented penetration.. however he was a bit sore, and gunshy about the whole deal after that.

Soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

So far I've had no problems with the russian blade sets. I find it odd dthat the russians could make a blade set cheaper than the chinese.... And yet.. I 'assume' it was a price based decision.. etc.

In any case.. I was carefull around the abrasive blade.. Like i would have been even if i had bought a dewalt saw and 'name brand' media.... etc... Abrasive blades just fly apart.. it happens... A blade we picked up from napa for our chop saw at work disentigrated before even coming up to full speed and a large chunk of it hit our mechanic near the groin ( right thigh)a little while back. His welding chaps prevented penetration.. however he was a bit sore, and gunshy about the whole deal after that.

Soundguy

Best to assume ALL abrasive blades are about to grenade at any moment. You never know who might have dropped that blade in the store before you bolted it on your saw. To me, it wouldn't matter one bit if the blade was Russian, German, or American as it flew apart and hit me.

 

[Dargo]

Best to assume ALL abrasive blades are about to grenade at any moment. You never know who might have dropped that blade in the store before you bolted it on your saw.

True, but having 3 Russian wheels in a row explode, there is no way in the world I'll ever have another on my chop saw. One reason they exploded could be because they were on a DeWalt chop saw that had about 10X the power the Hardly Freight one did. However, I took the shrapnel in the chest, leg, neck and face on the 3rd failure. So far, I've never had a Forney or DeWalt brand wheel come apart.

Oh yeah, I have a really good idea why the Russian wheels are cheaper than Chinese made ones...

But, hey, are you not happy that I did go to Hardly Freight and I bought some bolt cutters? Better yet, they made it through the first use and still appear to be in fine shape. Do you want me to post a pic of me actually using something from Hardly Freight?

 

[Soundguy]

I'd look at the rpm of the saw those russian blades were designed for, vs the dewalt..

As was pointed out.. it's very likely that entire box of 5 blades was dropped...

Soundguy